X-ray: NASA/CXO/UMass/Z. Li & Q.D. Wang, ESA/XMM-Newton; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE, Spitzer, NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (U. Az), ESA/Herschel, ESA/Planck, NASA/IRAS, NASA/COBE; Radio: NSF/GBT/WSRT/IRAM/C. Clark (STScI); Ultraviolet: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GALEX; Optical: Andromeda, Unexpected © Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, Yann Sainty & J. Sahner, T. Kottary. Composite image processing: L. Frattare, K. Arcand, J.Major
The Andromeda galaxy, also known as Messier 31 (M31), is a glittering beacon in this image released on June 25, 2025, in tribute to the groundbreaking legacy of astronomer Dr. Vera Rubin, whose observations transformed our understanding of the universe. In the 1960s, Rubin and her colleagues studied M31 and determined that there was some unseen matter in the galaxy that was affecting how the galaxy and its spiral arms rotated. This unknown material was named “dark matter.”
M31 is the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way at a distance of about 2.5 million light-years. Astronomers use Andromeda to understand the structure and evolution of our own spiral, which is much harder to do since Earth is embedded inside the Milky Way.
Learn more about this image and experience in sound, too.
Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXO/UMass/Z. Li & Q.D. Wang, ESA/XMM-Newton; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE, Spitzer, NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (U. Az), ESA/Herschel, ESA/Planck, NASA/IRAS, NASA/COBE; Radio: NSF/GBT/WSRT/IRAM/C. Clark (STScI); Ultraviolet: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GALEX; Optical: Andromeda, Unexpected © Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, Yann Sainty & J. Sahner, T. Kottary. Composite image processing: L. Frattare, K. Arcand, J.Major
X射线: NASA/CXO/UMass/Z. Li & Q.D. Wang, ESA/XMM-Newton; 红外光: NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE, Spitzer, NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (U. Az), ESA/Herschel, ESA/Planck, NASA/IRAS, NASA/COBE; 射电: NSF/GBT/WSRT/IRAM/C. Clark (STScI); 紫外光: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GALEX; Optical: Andromeda, Unexpected © Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, Yann Sainty & J. Sahner, T. Kottary. 合成图像处理: L. Frattare, K. Arcand, J.Major
在这张于2025年6月25日发布的图像中，仙女座星系（又称梅西耶31，M31）如同一座闪耀的灯塔，向天文学家维拉·鲁宾博士的开创性贡献致敬。正是她的观测彻底改变了我们对宇宙的理解。早在20世纪60年代，鲁宾与同事们研究M31时发现，星系中存在某种看不见的物质，影响着星系及其旋臂的旋转。这种未知物质后来被命名为“暗物质”。
仙女座星系距离我们约250万光年，是距离银河系最近的螺旋星系。天文学家通过研究仙女座，来推测银河系的结构与演化，这要比直接研究我们身处其中的银河系要容易得多。
图片来源: X射线: NASA/CXO/UMass/Z. Li & Q.D. Wang, ESA/XMM-Newton; 红外光: NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE, Spitzer, NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (U. Az), ESA/Herschel, ESA/Planck, NASA/IRAS, NASA/COBE; 射电: NSF/GBT/WSRT/IRAM/C. Clark (STScI); 紫外光: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GALEX; Optical: Andromeda, Unexpected © Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, Yann Sainty & J. Sahner, T. Kottary. 合成图像处理: L. Frattare, K. Arcand, J.Major
